Dr shopping??

[Axl_0113]

okay guys...now that I am clean (yay!), I guess its safe to say that I am thinking much more clear now...and I am terrified!  In the past, to feed my addiction, I was going to 2 pain mngmt doctors per month, which is called "dr shoping".  It is illegal...and now I am terrified that the law is gonna come beating down my door!  Does anyone know anything about this, or has had personal experience in the matter?  I appreciate any info anyone can give me.  I live in texas and I have been researching it for a few hours and cant find much about how it works, and how people are flagged and stuff like that.  

Thanks in advance...cuz I am freaking out right now!

[Katch21]

Well did the DEA ever catch up to you for all those pills that you did when you initially got caught.  I have a friend right now who is terrified of now getting caught and she said she didn't even know it was illegal!  She had three docs and three pharmacies for the same medication for Ambien.  Which is a controlled I think she said type schedule drug IV.  If you could give me some info on calming her down, she is really scared right now.  Did you ever get arrested?

[NautyOne]

Avisg.....California and most states are suppose to have this "database" no way they can track unless you are big-time doctor shopper.  Now, clinics that accept a lot of cash patients are really scrutinized by the DEA  every 30 days they have to show proof of all narcotics they prescribe for that reason......they take CASH PATIENTS  that's where most doc shopping takes place.....

People doctor shop not only to get narcotics for themselves.  They shop to get them for sale too.  So if you are flagged for using 10 doc's ....you have a better chance of getting caught.  That's what they are really looking for.

[avisg]

They are getting harsher now it seems state by state here in SC they have a data base that they put up in with you ID on all opiates and controlled substances .I dont blame you for being scared and its not until we start getting clean we think about these things .Hopefully this is it keep moving forward staying clean and you are always welcome here :)

[Axl_0113]

Oh no....you dont have to worry about me using over it.  The thought of it makes me sick to my stomach!

thanks again, guys!

[leeisgettingclean]

now your talking. I know its harder doing it than it is to say it, so dont worry about posting about it, we rather you post over it versus using over it. Good luck man

[Axl_0113]

man...I hope you are right.  But you guys are absolutely right about one thing.....move on and make the best of what I have now..

Thanks guys.  

[leeisgettingclean]

man you are fine. And sorry to say but i agree with GaGuy..what are you going to do about it now? nothing,whats left to do...report it yourself, turn yourself in to the jail, move on...I  say move on is your best option. Alot of us did stupid things while using and that is the past. Doc shopping is discovered by pharms usually and they inform the docs, you are not going to be doing it anymore so you dont ave to worry

[PromisedLand]

No!  you can talk about anything in here...I was suggesting you try the pain management forum as you might find folks with similar experiences...they were a big help when my wife was going through what she was going through...


Please...stay with us!


Jim

[Axl_0113]

Oh...sorry.  Wrong forum.  I'll repost.  My bad.

[PromisedLand]

excuse me...pain management forum.



Jim

[PromisedLand]

My wife caused a red flag to unfurl one time when she was getting scrips from different doctors...One a surgeon who performed breast reconstruction and then others from several other doctors due to her back pain.  She's always gone to the same pharmacy (representative of a big chain) that's where the flag unfurled...they questioned her about it until it was pointed out that while different doctors, they were all from the same practice...when her PCP was unavailable, etc.

You might ask in the pain management topic also.

Jim

[Axl_0113]

No disrespect man......but I have done something that could potentially land me in prison, lose custody of my son, and lose my wife, job and house....and you are telling me to calm down!?!?  lol  Like I said....no disrespect...

I know..I have a tendency to freak out about things, but still.  This is big time.  As far as what to do about it now? ...idk.... report my liscense and ss card stolen? lol  "it wasn't me.  Identity theft".  lol

I know it doesn't do any good to worry about it for the next few years, but I still can't help thinking about what COULD possibly happen.  I see now that I am clean, I have sooo much to be happy and live for...

[NautyOne]

The DEA does, cause doc's have to report all narcotics they prescribe.  Your probably okay as long as don't continue to do it.  If you do for prolonged time and are getting excessive amounts then yes it is possible.  I am sure you probably slipped through the cracks, but if you continue, you will eventually get caught.

I have a friend that does this all the time.  She does it with everything from a small amount of narc's to creams and bp meds......she is not an addict, she is a prescription HOARDER....?????

luv
nauty..........

[GA Guy]

OK..but, let me ask you this..what exactly are you going to do about it now? I mean, there's not a thing you can do. You can either let this drive you nuts until you relapse to calm down, or you can let it go and move on. I have no problems with trying to make amends for things, but there's absolutely NOTHING you can do about it...except obsess...which you're doing a great job at now. As for the database thing..do you have any idea how many people Dr. Shop a DAY? Millions I'm sure. Unless you're selling them, they can't go after everybody. So calm down and move on.

[Axl_0113]

idk...I have read horror stories about people being arrested for it a couple of years after the fact.  One person on a different forum was looking at a felony count for every time she did it.  She was facing like 30 years in prison!!!!

I have also read that the DEA gets a report from all pharmicies (nation wide) as to who is getting what controlled substances, and how often they are getting them.  Your name goes into a database..

[GA Guy]

If they arrested and put into jail every person who Dr. Shopped then there would be no pain clinics or many people on this board. I did it for a couple of months...many people did. You paid cash with no insurance..then you're safer than I am. Just don't do it again.

[Axl_0113]

No.  I used clinics that only accepted cash, and no insurance was ever used.  I am still freaking out about this.  I never had any problems filling my scrips- 2 different clinics, 2 different pharmicies...never had anyone say anything about being flagged or anything.  I am sooo worried about this...and I don't know why it never occured to me before today, but now it's all i can think about.  GOD- i have a beautiful little 5 year old that this would totally devistate if his daddy went to jail!

How could I be so freaking stupid!!?!?!?

[GA Guy]

People usually get caught Dr. Shopping in conjunction with something else. Usually by using the same pharmacy and when insurance flags it. Your best bet is to stay clean, and stop filling Scheduled drugs. The police have much bigger fish to fry, and won't come after you unless you continue or give them a reason. Consider this a wakeup call.

[troubleinohio]

did you use your insurance for both places and pharmacies? if so, it could still come back to bite you in the asss.  I was in a similar situation about 2 years ago. My insurance company ended up sending a letter to my doctors because i had been red flagged for having multiple doctors RX me narcotics. It took a few months before that letter came, too.  Lucky for me, i wasnt truly doctor shopping though. The pain clinic i was going to, always had a different doctor working each time I went for my appt, so there were numerous different doctor names on my RX"s however they came from the same clinic. The insurance company didnt know that for some reason though, and it took awhile to clear up the confusion. Anyways, if you used your insurance for both places, then it could still come back to haunt you. Good luck to you and I hope you're in the clear. Keep us posted.

[Some_life1976]

YEA I WAS DOING THAT TOO! I am in IL my guess is hopfuly sence i have stopped and told my real doc what was going on i should be okay my dr told me he had no idea about it ( really i have been getting 120 norco from you a month for 2 years) come on anyway he put a note in my chart and said i should be fine as long as i dont do this anymore they rarely figure this out and when they do the pharmacy is the ones who catch it and inform the doctors and he said when this happens he stops filling any meds for that person and has his nurse call them to come in to talk about it so i hope its over with    

[refusingbondage]

I think you are good for now.  Not sure if this can catch up with you after the fact.  I wouldnt worry too much.  I can admit to doing the same thing in active addiction (more than 2 doctors at the same time and multiple pharmicies) but this was back in 2006 and prior.  It never caught up to me in the years since. Be thankful you are clean now.  There are people who do get caught doing this and can get in trouble - a lot of trouble - but I think since its after the fact, that you are ok.  Look back and remember the crazy things you (we) did for our drugs..   Congrats on your clean time!